Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Odd Man Out

It was ok on this end. Hot weather, bad t-storm (though a cool one) and then nice weather. In that order.

Between yoga and visits to the hospital (my mom is status quo, but still in the hospital) we did go to a Memorial Day cook-out.

The food was phenomenal. In theory, the company was too. Yet, I felt a little out of place.

I cannot quite put my finger on it. I knew almost everybody. Well, I did know everybody - or had at least met them in the past. Granted we knew the hosts better than anyone else in attendance, and I could not rely on them to keep us entertained, they were busy.

Oh, don't get me wrong, everyone was friendly, and while we've known the hosts for a decade, everyone else has known them for 2-3 decades. We were odd men out.

A lot of the afternoon talk centered around politics. That's fine. We are all like-minded in our political beliefs, not that I don't mind a good debate. And I'm ok with local politics. But these guys did a deep dive - talking about state districts all over Ohio. They knew the incumbents, the challengers or potential challengers of every small podunk area in Ohio. All 88 counties. I'm not a dork (ok ok...that is up for debate), but when they get to that level, I have zero to add to the conversation.

Oddly - but probably not really - the most I had in common with were the 16 and 19 year old boys of two lesbians in attendance. They were actually extremely mature for their age - and very comfortable talking to people they don't know and they asked really good questions and were engaged in the conversations.

I wasn't like that at 16 or 19. Possibly not even at 26 or 29.

Maybe not even at 52.

I'm not complaining and we had a good time, it was just this type of event comes around every so often to show me how not in the 'in' crowd.

6 comments:

I know how you feel. We went to a "do" on Sunday evening. Everyone was perfectly chatty and fine but we were the only gay couple there and it felt like being at a zoo - i.e. on the wrong side of the fence. Of course it could have been the pink jacket I was wearing.JP

We had a get-together at Casa Bob y Carlos; lotsa politics discussed, a little bit on the red side, though most in attendance were of the Blue Voting Bloc.It was a nice day, great food, great friends, great talk .... and then a couples hours of not-so-great cleanup for Carlos and me!

I think we all have these experiences.....even in our (cough cough) advanced age. While I was friendly with, and had plenty of acquaintances in, the various cliques in high-school....I never felt fully at home in any of them. Same thing in my adult life, other than when I'm in India or Africa with the locals.